1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to control systems for coverings for architectural openings and the like and, more particularly, to a uni-directionally driven pull system that drives a lift cord system for moving the covering between extended and retracted positions.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Coverings for architectural openings such as windows, doors, archways and the like take numerous forms including conventional draperies, horizontal Venetian blinds, vertical blinds, roll up shades and numerous other coverings that resemble or define modifications of the afore noted standard coverings. The control systems utilized to operate the coverings sometimes vary depending upon the type of covering so that a roll up shade, for example, would normally have a different control system than a vertical blind or a horizontal Venetian blind. Most control systems are operated with pull cords, pull tapes, or tilt wands which hang from an end of a headrail and are manipulated by a human operator to move the covering between extended and retracted positions relative to the architectural opening in which it is mounted. The suspended cords or wands may also tilt slats or vanes in the covering while the covering is extended across the architectural opening so that the slats or vanes can be rotated about longitudinal axes between open and closed positions to permit the passage of vision and light through the covering.
When pull cords or pull tapes are utilized, they are frequently endless thereby defining a loop of cord or tape at one end of the headrail and loops of this type have presented problems in inadvertently causing physical harm to infants and young children who may put a body part within the loop and get caught in the loop.
There has been a considerable amount of activity in recent years designed to remove the inherent danger in endless pull cords to young children and by way of example, the endless cords may be divided into two distinct cords so that no loop is present. The ends of such a divided cord may also be releasably connected so that under predetermined conditions or pressures, the ends of the cord will become separated to avoid harm to an infant.
It is to provide a new and improved approach to the endless cord problem and to provide an otherwise improved control system for a covering for an architectural opening that the present invention has been developed.